The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for automatically folding a sheet of imaging media, for example a photographic paper, about a fold line such that an album page is formed. The imaging media has images only on one side. A heat activated adhesive sheet is provided between the sides of the imaging media during folding. The adhesive sheet when exposed to heated and pressure rollers will cause the sides of the imaging media to be secured to form a single album page.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making an album leaf, preferably out of photographic print media or digital thermal imaging media.
In a typical photofinishing lab, photographic prints are made using a mini-lab or a high volume printer. In a high volume printer the prints are produced on a roll of photographic paper whereas in a mini-lab the prints may be made on cut sheets or from a roll of photographic paper that is cut into individual prints or cut sheet output from a digital thermal printer. It is known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,004,061; 5,957,502; and 5,791,692 that album pages can be made by folding a cut sheet of material such as photographic paper and adhesively securing the folded sides together. While the technique of folding the sheet produces an excellent product, there is a need to be able to make photographic album pages in a high volume, low cost environment. In particular, there is a need to produce album leafs from photographic print media produced either by high speed photographic printers, mini-labs or digital thermal printers.
In one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for making an album leaf from an image bearing sheet having an image bearing side and a non-image bearing side, comprising:
a mechanism for folding the sheet about a fold line into a semi-folded position such that the image bearing side is facing outward;
a mechanism for inserting an adhesive sheet within the semi-folded sheet;
a mechanism for completing the folding of the semi-folded sheet so as to form an album leaf.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for automatically making an album leaf using a single apparatus, said method performed by said apparatus, comprising the steps of:
providing an image bearing sheet having an image bearing side having a first image section and a second image section separated by a fold line;
placing a score line along said fold line on said image bearing sheet;
transporting the image bearing sheet along a processing path in said apparatus and folding the image bearing sheet so as to form a semi-folded cut sheet at a first station;
transporting the image bearing sheet along to an insert station wherein an adhesive sheet is placed within the semi-folded cut sheet so that a leading edge of the adhesive sheet is substantially aligned with the fold line; and
transporting the semi-folded sheet having the adhesive sheet therein to a third station wherein the semi-folded cut sheet is completely folded so as to form an album leaf.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for automatically making an album leaf, comprising the steps of:
providing an image bearing sheet having an image bearing side having a first image section and a second image section separated by a fold line;
folding the image bearing sheet so as to form a semi-folded cut sheet;
placing an adhesive sheet within the semi-folded cut sheet so that a leading edge of the adhesive sheet is substantially aligned with the fold line; and
folding the semi-folded cut sheet having the adhesive sheet folded so as to form an album leaf.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention there is provided an album leaf comprising a separable section having indicia thereon for providing information with respect to album leaf.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.